Tonkawa Hawthorn
Tonkawa Hawthorn (Born the Day of the Hawthorn Tree, during the Budding Moon, in the Year of the Chimaera) is the son of Arlon Surehoof and Stamp Thunderhorn. He is an accomplished Alchemist, concocting potions of his own design. Officially, he serves as a Druid within the Cenarion Circle. Appearance A big black bull, with a friendly snout and beady red eyes, he seems only half in this world, half out. He wears a short chin beard, and sports no piercings. His eyes appear glossy, his face weary. His skin reveals many battle scars, many appearing to be from claw, tooth, and possibly talon. He appears tired, angry, and rather distracted. A large herb bag, worn and aged with time, is strapped to his belt. He noticeably bears the seal of a low-ranking member of the Cenarion Circle. Three large, crudely wood-burnt totemic pendants hangs from his neck. The first, and largest, bears his tribe's symbol for a hawthorn tree. The second, of middle size, depicts a vine-wrapped moon. The smallest of the three pendants displays a ferocious chimaera. Beliefs The Earth Mother Tonkawa fervently believes in the reality of the Earth Mother, and that all life forms should respect nature. He sees Her smiling back upon him from the rocks, the rivers, the trees. He hears Her sweet voice in the winds. He feels Her warm embrace in the heat of the sun. He gives thanks for the sustenance She provides through plants and animals. She is everywhere life and nature exist. As a devout Druid, Tonkawa seeks to maintain the balance of nature in order to walk with the Earth Mother. The Ancestors Tonkawa, like most Tauren, venerates the ancestors who came before him. He follows the tradition of burning wooden carvings to honor the ancestors. This practice is not a form of "worship" but rather of propitiation. Tonkawa believes that the ancestors watch over the living and protect descendants in times of peril. Maintaining a connection with the ancestors is an effort to maintain the wisdom of generations. The Dream For Tonkawa, the Emerald Dream is a reflection of what Azeroth should look like in her true form. Old Gods, Titans, Trolls, Kaldorei, and countless other so-called "intelligent" beings have corrupted Azeroth. Tonkawa longs for a day when the Emerald Dream may manifest, no longer existing as a mere spirit world, but bringing Azeroth into her rightful form. To this end, he seeks to eradicate what are in his view "unnatural" creatures. Quotes * "Nature strives toward balance." * "Corruption threatens life itself." * "Many unnatural creatures roam these lands." * "The Earth Mother cries out. We must heed Her call." * "Nature, take the life She gave!" Biography Early Days The son of Arlon Surefoot, Tonkawa was born on the grounds of Darkmoon Island. From an early age, the young bull embarked on Spirit Walks away from the faire, finding the plants and animals better company than his Darkmoon “family” could ever be. His mother would say little of his father, only that he was a warrior fighting battles in distant lands. With permission from his mother, he left Darkmoon Island to rejoin his people on the plains of Kalimdor, secretly in pursuit of locating his long-lost father. The Call He eventually found his way to the Cenarion Circle, becoming a low-ranking member. Abandoning his tribal name, he adopted his birth sign, the hawthorn tree, as a surname. When the Earth Mother finally Called to Tonkawa, the experience so overwhelming that he dedicated himself to Her fully. His heart full of joy, he attained a level of peace and tranquility beyond his imagination. The Dream It was Tonkawa’s gentle nature that initially led him to enter the Dream of Creation. The more time he spent within the Emerald Dream, however, the less aloof and more concerned he became. Events within it began to sharpen his resolve, mostly out of a need to both understand and combat the Nightmare. This led him to become a skilled Dreamwalker and a devout Dragonsworn Servant of Ysera, whom Tonkawa came to view as an avatar of the Earth Mother. Through his connection with the Emerald Dream, Tonkawa strived to maintain the harmony and balance of life on Azeroth. The Nightmare While preparing efforts to combat the Nightmare in the Dreamgrove in Val’sharah, word arrived that Tonkawa’s mother had died. He quickly traveled to Darkmoon Island for the funeral. His mother's body was grotesquely disfigured, having been gruesomely murdered, from all accounts, by a drunken Worgen. The identity of the murderer was not known, nor were his current whereabouts. For the first time in his life, Tonkawa was filled with rage. It was in this moment of grief and rage that Stamp Thunderhorn, Darkmoon food vendor, confessed to being Tonkawa’s father. This revelation was not well-received. Tonkawa had spent years searching for his father, only to learn that he had been on Darkmoon Island all along. He realized that his mother’s stories of his father had all been a lie. The revelation, the betrayal, along with the unsolved murder of his mother altered Tonkawa’s path from one of peace to one of vengeance. He returned to the Dreamgrove as the Nightmare was getting out of hand. Upon locating Xavius, Tonkawa watched in horror as Ysera succumbed to the Nightmare. He was forced to help kill the very dragon aspect to whom he had sworn allegiance. These events fractured his psyche, no longer believing there was any form of justice in the world. Worgensbane Following the "ascension" of Ysera, Tonkawa struggles to maintain a connection to the Earth Mother. His path has led down darker corridors and darker corridors. Tonkawa is disgusted by the Worgen corruption of the Druid ways, and speaks vehemently of their exclusion from the Cenarion Circle. He blames the Night Elves for the existence of Worgen, blames humans for freeing Worgen from the Emerald Dream, and despises the Night Elves for allowing Worgen into the Cenarion Circle. During the War of the Thorns, Tonkawa took great pleasure in watching Teldrassil burn. Tonkawa now seeks to restore balance by destroying the cursed Worgen whenever and wherever possible. To this end, he began a secret Druid society, the Circle of the Severed Paw, intent on eradicating all Worgen. He searches for the fabled Dreamgrove Ring to help him in this genocidal pursuit. The Battle for Azeroth provides the perfect cover for the Severed Paw's agenda, as though sanctioned by the Earth Mother Herself. Quirks Tonkawa at times seems barely coherent, mostly due to the smoking of various herbs and the imbibing of self-concocted potions. The mere sight or even mention of a Worgen will send him into a mad rage. His grip on reality appears to be slipping further and further each day, as dark thoughts plague his mind. Relationships Estranged from Cenarion Circle, he no longer consorts socially with former Druid companions. He refused to form any sort of relationship with his father, Stamp Thunderhorn. As of late, Tonkawa has been cultivating close bounds with newly recruited members of the Circle of the Severed Paw. In truth, a moonkin hatchling named Wampum whom he rescued from Harpies is his closest companion. Category:Characters Category:Tauren Category:Druids Category:The Emerald Dream Category:Dragonsworn Category:Ysera Category:Worgen Category:Herbalism Category:Alchemy Category:Cenarion Circle Category:Earth Mother